More than half of women who menstruate report some pain from period cramps for a day or two each month. While menstrual cramps, also called dysmenorrhea, are usually not a sign of a serious health condition, they can put a crimp in your lifestyle.

To help with the pain, here are 10 safe and effective tactics. If your period cramps seem severe or you don't get relief despite trying some of these options, check with your doctor to rule out more serious health issues.

1. Improving Your Diet Will Help Alleviate Period Cramps

Reducing fatty food and including more  vegetables in your diet may help ease monthly cramps. A low-fat diet infact decreases overall levels of inflammation in the body . It is not only good for  general health, but it can have an indirect yet noticeable effect on menstrual cramps, too.

Its is better to void less healthy fats like the saturated fats found in animal products, and choose healthier ones like unsaturated fats found in olive oil. When it comes to dairy products,choose low fat products. Overall, try to get 25 to 35 percent of your total daily calories from healthier fats found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. In short,a balanced plate is essential.

2. Pop a Safe Painkiller to Cut the Inflammation

Moderate use of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID), such as Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen), can help. Menstrual cramps occur because of local release of substances called prostaglandins, and NSAIDs lower prostaglandin production and decrease overall inflammation and pain.

It is always advised to consult these medicines , especially if you have a history of bleeding or kidney issues. And read the label for dosing instructions to be sure you don't accidentally take too many.

3. Some Herbal Tea Varieties Can Calm Cramping

Herbal Teas like Peppermint tea,Ginger tea,Cinamon tea,Fennel teas are found effective to reduce menstural cramps.The herbs may act as estrogens and  can help to regulate this imbalance and make you a happier lady

Menstrual cramps are commonly caused by contractions and spasms of our uterus muscles. Therefore, with its anti-spasmodic properties, peppermint tea helps to treat the muscles in the walls of the uterus. Apart from relieving discomfort caused by your cramps, it is also commonly used as a stress and fatigue reliever. Drink 1 cup of peppermint tea 2-3 times a day before and during days of your menstruation and you can expect to experience a major improvement in your mood and cramps.

Similar to peppermint tea, cinnamon has anti-spasmodic properties that helps to reduce cramps and menstrual pain. As an added bonus, it also works great as an anti-inflammatory which means that it is able to offer pain relief for your cramps!

fennel seeds also have emmenagogue properties that basically promotes and regulates the blood flow. Coupled with its ability to soothe the muscles in the uterus, it definitely makes menstruation free of cramps and discomfort.

Ginger helps to lower the pain caused by prostaglandins which means, goodbye period cramps. Okay, I lie, it is impossible to completely remove the pain and discomfort, but ginger tea will definitely make it that much more bearable!

4. Try Fish Oil and Vitamin B1 for Natural Relief

Studies proved that ,for period cramps and other menstrual symptoms, such as headaches, nausea and fatigue, women may find lasting relief from daily doses of fish oil and vitamin B-12 . Omega-3 fatty acids decrease inflammation and there is inflammation that goes on . Fish oils may lower prostaglandin levels which may result in less blood clotting and vasoconstriction which doctors believe are the main causes of menstrual cramps.

5. Acupuncture May Help by Relaxing the Nervous System

Acupuncture can help relieve cramps,  licensed acupuncturist claims. "We're relaxing the nervous system," she said, which causes more robust blood flow to the internal organs. Acupuncture is also thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect.

6.  Massage With Essential Oils for Pain Relief

Massage with certain aromatic essential oils (such as lavender essential oil, clary sage essential oil, or marjoram essential oil) can also relieve menstrual cramp pain.

Just be sure you’re using essential oils safely. Dilute the  pure essential oils in an unscented cream or lotion or other type of oil, before using directly on skin to avoid irritation and other problems.

7. Curl Up With a Heating Pad to Ease Period Cramps

Applying heat ( using hot bags) is found to be just as effective as ibuprofen for period cramps. The women using heat plus ibuprofen, heat alone, and ibuprofen alone reported greater pain relief than those on the placebo. Women using heat with ibuprofen did not report differences in pain relief compared with those using ibuprofen alone. But with heat, they experienced faster improvement in pain relief: about 90 minutes after starting, compared with nearly three hours for those taking medicine alone. More women who used both heat and ibuprofen reported complete pain relief compared with those in the control group, the researchers found.

8. Boost Those Feel-Good Endorphins With Exercise (or Orgasms)

In addition to their pain-relieving effect, endorphins can also boost your mood. Having an orgasm releases endorphins. Working out does as well. Perhaps the last thing you want to even think about while in the midst of cramps is exercise, but activity can boost endorphins and help chase away pain.

9. Up the Magnesium in Your Diet to Help Nerve and Muscle Function

Dietary magnesium seems to help ease the pain of cramps.Magnesium is found in many foods and as a supplement if you can’t get what you need from your diet. Magnesium helps regulate nerve and muscle functioning, among other vital tasks; researchers who evaluated the evidence on magnesium call it a promising treatment for menstrual cramps.

10. Birth Control Pills May Lessen Painful Cramping, Too

The odds are that your birth control pills may help relieve painful cramps, as reported in a Cochrane review of 10 studies that was published in October 2009. Experts didn’t find any difference between low- or medium-dose estrogen contraceptives in producing pain relief for period cramps. But oral contraceptives come with side effects for some, which may include spotting, breast tenderness, nausea, and low sex drive — in addition to a higher risk of blood clots.